Read it or see the movie? Both? Neither?

[Lori]

I have read all three books and have seen all three of the Swedish movies. the movies were well done and followed the books quite well. I did not see the American version and don't really want to, as I cannot see anyone else playing Lisbeth.

[Jody]

I read all three books and they left me with no desire to see the movies. I kind of liked the first book but my enjoyment declined as the series went on. At first I couldn't really put a finger on why I didn't like the books. Finally I realized it was because I didn't like either of the main characters. I know that this is contrary to most people's opinion and I don't want to make anybody mad; it is just the way I felt. I didn't really care what happened to them as much as I cared about unraveling the plot - which I think Larsson did a great job with. Maybe the movies will change my mind about the main characters.

[Alan]

I recommend you read the books first.

You're right, there is a lot of violence against women, however it is balanced with a lot of violence against men as well, usually by women. The violence is not gratuitous in my opinion.

The storyline is good, and the books were best sellers all over the world, they cannot be that bad. It is worth reading all three books to get the whole story, the plot does work very well.

I prefer the Swedish films for their story line and the American film for the actors portraying the characters as they are in the book.

[Perri]

Pam wrote: "I'm one of those freaks that LOVED the books and the Swedish versions of the movie and I even enjoyed the American version (although I felt it was inferior to the Swedish versions.) I would strong..."
Totally agree with you Pam. Loved the Swedish versions of the movie and thought the American version was pretty good. The books are important reads in many ways, but as you mention the beginning is hard to get through -- those books are really monumental feats, though.

[Kathryn]

It is a good read. The U.S. movie is good but the Swedish movie is better.

[Lucie]

Loved all three books and thought the movies did a great job of telling the stories. There are always parts that are missing and there are always actors chosen that might have been exactly as the reader "saw" them but they were all worth seeing - Swedish and American.

[Wiliani]

watch this movie first, and then i bought the books..love all of them ...

[Linda]

As a lover of quirky and memorable characters and murder mysteries I was impressed with the book and found it an interesting and fast read. Saw the Swedish film version and found the actors were pretty well cast and enjoyed that as well.

Oh yes-There are one or two tough violent and sexually degrading scenes but if you can deal with the Hannibal Lechter type cannibal/killer scenes you should be able handle it.

[Mark]

I liked the book, the Swedish movie was quite good. Have not bothered to see the "Hollywood" version. I felt the later books were better than the "tattoo" volume.

[Vaishnavi]

Thrilling...page after page...even as I was reading it casually,I realized it an edge-of-the-seat thriller!!!

[Vaishnavi]

have seen the movie as well,but liked the book better...

[Linda]

I read the book and saw the movie. I loved both. The movie was a bit better because you did not have to pronounce all the Sweedish street names. lol

[Angel]

first I read the book, really enjoyed it once it got going -
then saw the American movie which was a huge disappointment-

I want to see the Swedish movie as I heard it was much better than American version.

[Tigger1158]

Rachel wrote: "I still have not read this book, but have heard mixed reviews about it. I was warned there is a lot of violence against women.

Now there is a movie out, which I also haven't seen. Would you recomm..."

I have read the book and have seen the movie,and of course the book is better.I had a hard time getting into the book but I trudged along.I liked it and also liked the movie.You have to have an open mind

[Michael]

I loved the books, loved the back story of Stieg Larsson, loved the Swedish films and was sure I wouldn't like the American film nearly as well. I was wrong. Though slightly different the films were both well done. I'm looking forward to the 2 additional American films.

[Farzy Mae of BooksKeepMeSane]

I have read the book and I have seen the american version of the movie. The book's plot drags in too long in the middle of the story but it was great nevertheless. the american version of the movie is great! the scenes are just like how i imagined it in the book. the movie omitted some parts of the book but that's unavoidable when adapting a book into a movie. I have yet to see the Swedish version though.
But be warned, there are a lot of voilence in the movie.

[Beth]

I did both!

[Subramanian]

read but don't even think about watching the movie.

[Judy]

Read the books and have seen all 3 Swedish movies. Books were great. Had no trouble getting into them at all. Swedish movies were very good, too. The American version was good but I think the Swedish one is better. Neither movie could capture everything in the book as there was so much material! Like a lot of the comments, I'm also sorry there won't be more in the series.

[Nancy]

Rachel wrote: "I still have not read this book, but have heard mixed reviews about it. I was warned there is a lot of violence against women.

Now there is a movie out, which I also haven't seen. Would you recomm..."
There is so much more to the book, so read it first. The movie really doesn't get inside the character, so you really won't understand her.

[Nancy]

I listened to all three books, so it wasn't a drag, as some of the readers thought, through the first 150 pages. I watched the Sewdish version of the first book, on netflix.

[Kirby]

Nancy wrote: "I listened to all three books, so it wasn't a drag, as some of the readers thought, through the first 150 pages. I watched the Sewdish version of the first book, on netflix."

I listened to the first book, and it was a British narrator who gave Salander a sort of cockney accent...was your version like that?

[Nancy]

It's been awhile, and I'm not sure.

[Gino]

I read all three books in like two weeks couldn't stop reading them and would only watch the Swedish versions they're way better and Noomi Rapace was way better than Mara

[Christian]

I liked the book, though there were some language issues with the translation. It just didn't flow as well as I would have liked. There's more information in the book, so I'd recommend reading it before seeing the movie. The Swedish film was much better than the American version.

[Jenn]

The books were wonderful. The movies (both Swedish and American) were OK but seemed incomplete to me. I read the books first. When I watched the movie I couldn't help but think that people who hadn't read the books first would not understand a lot of what was going on. I feel like the movies left out some crucial plot bits and honestly they felt pretty empty.

[Jenn]

Wendy wrote: "Read it, but then see the Swedish films. The stars aren't as pretty as the American ones, but the films stay true to the books."

I agree, except for the last one in which they completely changed the bit about (view spoiler)[ Erika leaving Millenium (hide spoiler)] and all the drama that came with that.

[Gino]

Do both but I agree the original Swedish version is way better... I read all three books back to back and couldn't put them down Hornets Nest ending is fantastic... That's all ill say though :)

[Lisa]

I loved all three of these books! I have to admit the first one was rather slow at the beginning, but after I got to the middle I was hooked and could not put them down! There are definitely some shocking moments, but that is part of the attraction. The characters are fantastic and the climaxes are amazing!

[Nancy]

Jenn wrote: "The books were wonderful. The movies (both Swedish and American) were OK but seemed incomplete to me. I read the books first. When I watched the movie I couldn't help but think that people who hadn..."

I felt the same way. I listened to all three books, one after the other. I watched the first movie, and felt there was so much left out, that it made it hard to understand what was happening. The movie didn't develop the characters very well.

[Jack]

I saw the Swedish film version. It was excellent, I was pleasantly surprised. I was so impressed that I also saw The Girl Who Played with Fire, Swedish version, also. When you forget you're reading subtitles, the movie has captured your interest.

[Gene]

the books were really great! and, if you're going to watch the movies, I recommend the Swedish versions

[Wendy]

read book

[Ann]

loved the books.......loved the Swedish version.....hated the English version.

[Theresa]

I loved all three books - and read them one right after the other. I took a while to get hooked - but once hooked - I was convinced. Have not yet seen the movie. I hear the Swedish one is better.

[Theresa]

I forgot to add - the weak of heart should abstain!

[Nicole]

read first then watch the movie. I liked the swedish and the us version! the books are great

[William]

Read it and then see both versions of the movie. They all have different aspects to enjoy.

[[deleted user]]

The series are awesome but you need to have stomach for it. Gets kinda gross. Book is awesome, movie is good enough. So in my opinion, both.

[Jane]

Rachel wrote: "I still have not read this book, but have heard mixed reviews about it. I was warned there is a lot of violence against women.

Now there is a movie out, which I also haven't seen. Would you recomm..."

The original Swedish movie was great, but the two sequels were not. I'm not even going to see the remake. I was not enamoured of the book; I had to push myself to finish it.

[Brenda]

I always read the book before I see the movie. In this case, I've only read the books. If I had to choose the movies, I've heard that the Swedish movies are the better ones since they stick to the storyline of the books better than the American version. I've also heard that the American version was much too graphic.

I have to agree that I also put the first book down several times before I was able to get through the first 150 pages. But then again ... I'm a mood reader. Once I got into it, however, I couldn't put it down and waited on pins and needles for the other two books to come out. Yes, there was extreme violence against women. But let's face it, unfortunately it's a common occurrence in the foster system and other arenas where it is consistently shoved under the carpet. Larssen's books bring it out into the open, and as far as I'm concerned every little bit of exposure for this problem helps.

[Subramanian]

I saw the Swedish movie. It is more faithful to Larsson's book than the Hollywood version. On hindsight, I think that Larsson could have toned down the graphic violence in the first book and the explicit sex in the second. The movie was easier to watch; the book was a challenge.

[Ana]

both

[Katherine]

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has the only book out of the Millennium Series that I really enjoyed. The book and the movie were slightly graphic for my taste, but don't let that stop you from enjoying the story line. Definitely read the book first! How does the Original Swedish movie compare to the Hollywood version? I've only seen the Hollywood one and liked it